Artist: Rihanna
Album: Talk That Talk
Release Date: 11.21.11
One year after the release of her mega-successful, Grammy-nominated album Loud (click to read the review), Rihanna returns with an even more confident swagger on her sixth album Talk That Talk. This project veers slightly away from the international pop sound and themes of its predecessor to incorporate more urban elements, bolder lyrics, and a lot more sensuality. Sonically, I find this album is a mix of the styles from her “Good Girl Gone Bad” and “Rated R” albums: some hip-hop, some dancehall, some pop. It took me a while to really get into this album because of the variance, but there’s some great content and an evolution in her sound on Talk That Talk that should not be missed.
Adding to her growing list of Billboard top ten singles, Rihanna led the way for Talk That Talk with her current #1 hit ‘We Found Love’ (watch the video). It’s an energetic, electro-pop dance smash that has an infectious vibe. The next single will be the opening cut ‘You Da One’, produced by Dr. Luke; not my favorite track on the album, but it has a breezy island feel to it. Jay-Z steps in on one of the album’s standout additions, the title track ‘Talk That Talk’ penned by Ester Dean and Stargate. This is classic Rihanna, very radio-friendly with plenty of swag on the track. ‘Cockiness (I Love It)’ is undoubtedly the most edgy of tracks (exactly what the title suggests), laced with raunchy metaphors and sexual insinuations. Then there’s a drastic shift in gears with the acoustic guitar-powered ‘We All Want Love’ (a fave!), one of her most emotive and personal songs that speaks to the unique human experience of love. Delivery was key with this one, and Rihanna’s vocal stylings fit nicely over the mellow yet progressive backing track from No I.D. Equally as impressive are ‘Roc Me Out’, ‘Drunk on Love’ and the closing power ballad ‘Farewell’, the best vocal presentation on the album.
Unfortunately, the best offering on this album is also the shortest. ‘Birthday Cake’ has a sweet tone, sassy lyrics and is teeming with sexual energy but only lasts just over a minute and 15 seconds. It would’ve been nice to have that full track instead of just a sampling. The only song I’m really not feeling is Where Have You Been; it just sounds way too generic for an artist of Rihanna’s caliber and unique sound.
The trend I’m noticing in Rihanna’s music is that there’s a noticeable level of comfort within her, making the music easier to relate to and digest. On the flipside, I’m also conscious of the abundant sexual themes on the album and I’m hoping that doesn’t become the gimmick with her future music. That being said, Talk That Talk combines all that we love about Rihanna from her previous projects into a compilation that shows how much more mature she’s become as a woman, and how much she’s developed as an artist.
Sound-Savvy rates Talk That Talk with 4 out of 5 platinum headphones
